A SOUTHPORT pensioner was seriously injured when she was knocked over during a fight at a town centre bus stop.

Helen Bradshaw, 85, was knocked to the ground when James Edgar tried to punch a teenager at Hoghton Street bus stop, who then fell on the pensioner.

Mrs Bradshaw, who was innocently chatting with two friends, was rushed to hospital where it was found she had broken her right hip and required surgery.

Liverpool Crown Court heard how there had been an incident involving youths three days earlier in Union Street.

One of the teenagers involved in that incident was in the bus queue on Hoghton Street.

James Edgar and a young woman arrived, and the woman shouted : "Here they are, the little ****heads."

Edgar went to punch one of the youths who fell backwards and knocked Mrs Bradshaw over. He apologised to her saying, "I'm very sorry but I was pushed, he thumped me," said Graham Pickavance, prosecuting.

The youth who knocked her over voluntarily went to the police and explained what had happened. Edgar also went to a police station and after initially denying hitting the youth. He then accepted he had intended to hit him and, with him moving out of the way, was responsible for the victim being injured.

Edgar, of Union Street, pleaded guilty to assault causing actual bodily harm on November 15 last year and was sentenced to eight months imprisonment suspended for 18 months.

He was also ordered to carry out 150 hours unpaid work, placed under supervision for 18 months and a four month electronically monitored curfew was imposed between 8pm and 8am.

Jeffrey Pedley, defending, said that Edgar had not been in trouble for five years and had no convictions for violence. He had pleaded guilty and had voluntarily gone to the police.